Improvement in bustles



proper position on the wearer.

view from the under side, showing the con-` Uiv/ITED STATES PATENTGEEIcE.

` ROBERT BIERING, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

IMPRovEMENT IN BUsTLEs.

Specicaticn forming part of Letters Patent No. 168,130, dated September28, 1875; application led Mayl 3,A 1875.

To all whom't may concern:

Be it known thatl, ROBERT BrERrNe, of

. the city, county, and State of New York, Yhaveinvented certain new anduseful Improvements in PompadouuBustles, of which the following is' aspecification:

My invention relates to that class of'bustles which, when secured to thewaist of the it consists in the lower portion being remova- .bly andadjustablyattached to the upper or bustle proper; also, in theconstruction and forms of the" said bustle, as will be hereinafter fullydescribed.

In the drawings, Figure l is a perspective view, "showing my improvedbustle in its Fig. 24 is a struction ofthe trail-support. Fig.3 isavfront view, showing the bustle detached from `the wearer. Fig. et is aside view, showing the adjustment of the trail-support. Figs. 5 and 6are,respectively, plan and sectional views, illustrating the manner ofremoving the springs.

Heretofore,.in constructing bustles of this class, it has been`customary to make them similar to one-half of a hoop-skirt, having nobodycloth, and consisting only of a series of springs bent into the formof a semicircle, i and connected together by tapes properly arranged andspaced. This form'provides no support whatever. for the trail of thedress.

My ,bustle consists of two distinct portions: The upper part or bustleproper A, and the lower part B, which I will designate as'thetrail-support. The bustle A is, preferably,

` angle named being obtuse, it follows that' assisting in its support.

whenl the ends of the band O are brought around and fastened in frontthe said wings stand out full, and are drawn smoothly over thehips ofthe wearer, thus holding' the bustle firmly in place, (see Fig. 1,) andmaterially With these gussets or wings it is imposible `for thev bustleto slip'around to the side of the wearer. E E are webs. of cloth securedat one edge to the bustle, and provided at their free edges with eyeletsfor lacing. In theordinary bustle the lacing vcannot be accomplishedwhile the bustle is attached to the wearer; but in mine, as

herein shown, the ends of the lace-cord are passed upthrough eyelets inthe top of the bustle at b, and tied on the outside, thus rendering thepadjustment easy and convenient after the bustle is put on. rlhe edgesof the.

bustle are stiffened by the insertion of springs c c, which extendupward from the bottom of the bustle A to the points d d, justabove thelower corners of the wings D D. The lower portion or trail-support B is'formed of one thickness of cloth only', to avoid unnecessary weight,and the shirrs are formed by stitching on tape of suitable width, asAshownat j, in Fig. 5. The upper edge of thev trail-support conforms insize to the lower edge of the bustle proper, and is attached removablyand adjustably thereto by means of buttons e e, or other equivalentdevice. I provide several button-holes in the support B, arrangedvertically, one above the other, preferably in three rows, one at eachside, and one behind, by which means the trail-support may be adjustedas to height.

By engaging the lower button-holes at the sides, and the upper at theback, as in Fig. 4, the trail is caused to droop behind. Beversing theoperation causes a reverse eiiect.

By the proper shaping of the cloth and arrangement of the shirrs orspring-cases, I produce the gracefully-curved projecting support j oneor more rows of muslin ruffles, fi, stitched thereon, as shown. f-terialmaybe substituted, as, for instance,

2 p f j 168,130 t 0r, if desired, other mastriped or figured darkfabric, to resemble balmoral skirts. suitable eyelets and laces foradjusting the width, are required for the trail-support B, as well asthe bustle A. To prevent said sup port from wrinkling at the bottom, Iprovide the edges with stiffening-'springs g g, which extend upward to apoint about half-way to the junction of the two portions A B.

To enable the entire garment to be washed, I provide for the easyremoval of the springs, as follows: At a point, k, near one end of theshirrs, said shirr is cut or omitted for a short space. rllhe spring isremoved (see Fig. 6) by bending up the exposed portion, which releasesthe short end; the spring may then be drawn fout. By reversing theoperation, the spring is readily replaced. ,j

To prevent the bustle from swinging sidewise, or backward, and retain itclosely to the person, I provide bands G G, preferably of muslim in twothicknesses with strips of elastic webbing interposed or inserted insuitable shirrs while in a state of tension. These bands may be attachedto the bustle in any convenient manner, but preferably removable, andafter the bustle is put on are brought round y to the front and securedtogether. Their elas- Yticity permits the free use of the limbs in theact of sitting down, or when walking.

It will sometimes be desirable to remove the part B entirely, and wearonly the part A. This can, of course, be done very readily either beforeor after putting on.

Having thus described my invention, I claim- Webs E' E', providedwith- 1. The bustle A, provided with a waistband, C, and wings D D,arranged to be drawn over the hips, when constructed substantially inthe manner shown.

2. A bustle, A, provided with an adjustable and removable lower portionor trail-support, B, when constructed and arranged in the mannersubstantially as shown.

3. A bustle, A, provided with Webs E E, having suitable laces andlacing-holes, the ends of the said laces passing out through holes inthe top of the bustle at b, so as to be idjusted from and tied on theoutside, as .set

orth.

4. In combination with the bustle A, the trail-support B, attachedadjustably and removably thereto, and provided with a curved rearprojection, f, substantially as shown, and for the purposes set forth.

5. In combination with the bustle A and trailsupport B, constructed asherein described, the elastic bands G G, as and for the purposesspecified.

6. A pannier or bustle constructed with a series of concealed pockets, jj, having openings h h, iu combination with springs a a detachablyinserted iu the pockets j j, substantially as and for the purpose setforth.

In witness whereof I have hereunto signed my name in the presence of twosubscribing witnesses.

ROBERTY BIEBING.

Witnesses HENRY OONNETT, ARTHUR C.. FRASER.

